The present invention relates to mobile generator units, and more particularly to a removable breaker box for a mobile generator unit.
High power output mobile generator units are used to provide electricity where the regular electric grid is not accessible, where a power shortage occurs, or as a fall-back option in combination with the regular electric grid. These generator units include a power generating motor, and other affiliated devices such as a flywheel, a drive, a radiator, a muffler, etc., these elements being generally referred in the present specification as the power generating motor assembly which allows power to be fed through power outlets. The power generating motor assembly is carried in a container, the latter usually in the form of a semi-trailer that can be releasably attached to a truck, thus facilitating the transport thereof.
It is known to provide on the semi-trailer a breaker box which is linked to the power generating motor assembly to prevent excessive power output. The breaker box is installed inside the semi-trailer. The breaker box includes power outlet sockets in which the wire plugs of the electric circuit to be fed with electricity, are to be connected. Additional power inlet sockets are provided on the breaker box, wherein the wire plugs from the power generating motor assembly are connected. The electric current from the inlet sockets passes through a breaker before being dispatched to the outlet sockets. Thus, excessive current demand can be prevented with the breaker. The breaker can be reset in a known fashion after it has opened the electric circuit under the bias of excessive power demand.
A problem with the breaker box in conventional generator semi-trailers is that it is difficult to install and remove. Indeed, the rather heavy breaker box has to be carried into the semi-trailer through its rear doors, and then maintained in the correct position while it is fixed to the semi-trailer wall. This operation can be tedious, especially considering the limited space available inside the semi-trailer which is loaded with the power generating motor assembly. In addition to the initial installation of the breaker box, the breaker box has to be removed and reinstalled when the power generating motor has to be taken out from the semi-trailer for maintenance or replacement purposes, or when the breaker box itself has to be repaired or replaced, although the latter is less frequent. Indeed, the breaker box is a rather large device, and obstructs the rear opening of the semi-trailer when the rear doors of the latter are opened, thus effectively preventing the motor to be moved through the doors. The breaker box has to be installed at the rear end of the semi-trailer, next to the doors, for easy access thereto to re-initiate the breaker once it has been forced into an opened condition under excessive power demand. Thus, its position cannot be changed to a less obstructive position, for example at the front end of the semi-trailer.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a removable breaker box for power generators installed in containers, which includes gripping members allowing easier handling the breaker box to facilitate installation and removal thereof from the container.
It is another object of the invention that the breaker box may be installed from the exterior of the container.
The present invention relates to a breaker box for use in a mobile generator unit of the type including a container and a power generating motor assembly in the container, said breaker box comprising:
a casing;
an accessible power inlet socket connection member mounted in said casing;
an accessible power outlet socket connection member mounted in said casing;
an accessible breaker mounted in said casing and connecting said inlet socket connection member and said outlet connection member;
pocket openings provided on said casing, for allowing external engagement therein of the forks or a forklift truck for moving and holding said casing; and
an attachment member for releasably attaching said casing to the container.
The present invention also relates to a mobile generator unit comprising:
a container having a generally closed peripheral wall and defining an inner chamber;
a power generating motor assembly carried in said container inner chamber;
an opening in said peripheral wall;
a breaker box comprising
a) a casing sized to fit into said opening in said peripheral wall;
b) a power inlet socket connection member mounted in said casing and accessible inside said container inner chamber;
c) a power outlet socket connection member mounted in said casing and accessible outside said container;
d) an accessible breaker mounted in said casing and connecting said inlet socket connection member and said outlet connection member for interrupting electrical current flow therebetween under excessive power demands; and
e) pocket openings provided on said casing and accessible outside said container, for allowing external engagement therein of the forks or a forklift truck for moving and holding said casing;
an attachment member for releasably attaching said casing to said container peripheral wall; and
an electric plug member connected to said power generating motor assembly and releasably connectable to said breaker box power inlet socket connection member for electrically connecting said breaker box to said power generating motor assembly.
Preferably, said attachment member includes a protruding peripheral edge portion on said breaker box, a complementary receiving edge portion on said container peripheral wall, and an attachment device for integrally attaching said breaker box peripheral edge portion to said container receiving edge portion.
Preferably, said attachment device is bolts.
Preferably, said casing further includes door flap members mounted thereto which can selectively close said pocket openings.
The present invention also relates to a method of installing with a forklift truck having a pair of forks, a breaker box as defined hereinabove on the container of a power generating unit as defined hereinabove, comprising the following steps:
a) inserting the forklift truck forks into the opened pockets of the breaker box;
b) moving the breaker box above ground outside of the container, by carrying it with the forklift truck, until it becomes aligned with the opening of the container;
c) sliding the breaker box into the container peripheral wall opening until the breaker box protruding edge portion abuts against the container receiving edge portion;
d) fixing the breaker box to the container by bolting the breaker box peripheral edge portion to the peripheral wall receiving edge portion;
e) removing the forks of the forklift truck from the opened pockets of the breaker box; and
f) connecting the plug member to the breaker box power inlet socket connection member.
Preferably, the breaker box further includes door flap members, and the method further comprises the following step before step (a):
aa) moving the door flaps into an opened condition in which they do not obstruct the passage of the forks of the forklift truck into the pockets of the breaker box casing.
Preferably, the method further comprises the following step between steps (e) and (f):
ff) moving the door flaps into a closed condition in which they close the opened pockets of the breaker box casing.
The present invention further relates to a method for removing with a forklift truck having a pair of forks, a breaker box as defined hereinabove from the container of a power generator unit as defined hereinabove comprising the following steps:
a) disconnecting the plug member from the breaker box power inlet socket connection member;
b) inserting the forklift truck forks into the opened pockets of the breaker box;
c) disuniting the breaker box from the container by unbolting the breaker box peripheral edge portion from the peripheral wall receiving edge portion, the breaker box then coming to rest on the forks of the forklift truck;
d) sliding the breaker box out of the opening until it clears the container peripheral wall; and
e) moving the breaker box above ground outside of the container, by carrying it with the forklift truck, until it is stored at a desired location.
Preferably, the breaker box further includes door flap members as defined hereinabove, and the method for removing the breaker box further comprises the following step between steps (a) and (b):
bb) moving the door flaps into an opened condition in which they do not obstruct the passage of the forks of the forklift truck into the pockets of the breaker box casing.